1. The Research and Scholarly Communication Peer Associate Program; 2. Graduate Student Assistants and the Library

PRESENTATION 1 ABSTRACT: The Research & Scholarly Communication Peer Associate Program: Medical Students Take the Lead - Gina Schlesselman-Tarango, Des Moines University. Medical students are hungry for research experience that can help them stand out, but there is often limited opportunity to work alongside faculty. The Des Moines University Library’s RSC Peer Associate Program provides students a paid opportunity to participate in an intensive institute that not only connects and expands upon their coursework, but also provides them with library research and evidence-based medicine training they can list on their resumes. After completing the institute, associates work together to develop, promote, and assess an outreach or educational project meant to support their peers. This presentation will outline the application process, design and implementation of the institute curriculum, communication of the program to the campus community, challenges, and more. We hope to have one or more student presenters share their perspective(s) to give them an opportunity to contribute to the scholarly communication ecosystem firsthand.PRESENTATION 2 ABSTRACT: Graduate Student Assistants and the Library – A Symbiotic Relationship - Tricia Venzke, Wayne State University. At Wayne State University, graduate student assistants play an integral role in the success of the university libraries. GSAs learn about librarianship and gain practical experience that will help in their future careers. In addition, GSAs work with librarians across the organization to craft diverse projects and experiences that cater to their specific areas of expertise while benefiting the larger organization. Examples of GSA projects include creating library resources, helping with marketing initiatives, and assisting with archival and library assessment projects. The temporary nature of this role creates a constantly diversifying group and a rapidly evolving team culture. GSAs can also influence team growth by collaborating with management, helping hire and train new team members, and leading team meetings. This program produces well-rounded librarians that are ready for the challenges that await them. Join two GSAs as we share our experiences working in the WSU libraries

Clinical, virologic, and immunologic effects of combination therapy with ribavirin and isoprinosine in HIV-infected homosexual men

We evaluated the clinical, immunologic, and virologic effects of oral treatment with ribavirin and isoprinosine for up to 3 months in asymptomatic, HIV-culture-positive homosexual men. Fifteen consecutive men received isoprinosine 4 gday (1 g q.i.d.), and 800 (9 men) or 1,200 mg/day (6 men) of ribavirin. Five men in each ribavirin dosage group completed at least 2 months of treatment. No unexpected toxicities were observed. Eight minor HIV- related events occurred in six men while on study. All men remained HIV- positive, and time to positive culture decreased by at least 4 days in three men from each treatment group. Serum p24 levels did not change in two men who were p24 antigenemic and received 800 mg/day of ribavirin. Treatment was associated with a generalized lymphopenia affecting all lymphocyte subsets including CD4, which was partially reversible 1 month after stopping treatment. Most of the men remained anergic on DTHS skin testing. No improvements were noted in in vitro lymphoproliferative responses to antigens or in NK cell activity (which decreased significantly in the 1,200 mg/day ribavirin group). Although well tolerated at the doses employed, the combination of ribavirin and isoprinosine produced an unexpected generalized lymphopenia and did not exhibit HIV-suppressive or immunorestorative effects. © 1990 Raven Press, Ltd., New York

Phase I/II trial of thymosin fraction 5 and thymosin alpha one in HTLV-III seropositive subjects

Forty-two male homosexuals and/or hemophiliacs with depressed helper/suppressor T-cell ratios were treated with one of three different doses of thymosin fraction 5 (TF5, 30, 60, and 120 mg), or a single dose of thymosin Alpha One (TA1, 600 μ.g), by daily subcutaneous (SQ) administration for 10 weeks, followed twice weekly for 4 weeks. No major toxicity was noted for any of the preparations tested, although three subjects treated with TF5 had to discontinue therapy because of severe local skin reactions. Of the doses and preparations tested, only 60 mg TF5 was capable of significantly improving (p \u3c 0.02) mean T-cell lymphoproliferative responses to alloantigens (MLR) for six HTLV-III seropositive subjects who were abnormal prior to therapy. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from subjects treated with 60 mg TF5 also exhibited a transient restoration of mean mitogen-induced interleukin-2 (IL-2) production to normal. No effects were observed with any of the four treatment regimens on absolute helper T-cell numbers, NK activity, antibody tilers to HTLV-III, or in the expression of a variety of surrogate markers for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Four of the six seropositive subjects treated with 60 mg TF5 exhibited a return to depressed baseline MLR, after switching to twice weekly injections. With a median follow-up time of 20 months, six cases of AIDS developed. However, none of the five subjects whose MLR improved following treatment progressed to AIDS. We recommend daily subcutaneous (SQ) administration of 60 mg (40 mg/m2) TF5 for use in combined modality trials, along with drugs capable of suppressing replication of HTLV-III. © 1986 Raven Press, New York

Risk factors for endometrial cancer in black and white women: a pooled analysis from the epidemiology of endometrial cancer consortium (E2C2)

PURPOSE: Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynecologic cancer in the United States. Over the last decade, the incidence rate has been increasing, with a larger increase among blacks. The aim of this study was to compare risk factors for EC in black and white women. METHODS: Data from 7 cohort and 4 case-control studies were pooled. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals for each risk factor in blacks and whites separately. RESULTS: Data were pooled for 2,011 black women (516 cases and 1,495 controls) and 19,297 white women (5,693 cases and 13,604 controls). BMI ≥ 30 was associated with an approximate 3-fold increase in risk of EC in both black and white women (OR(black)=2.93, 95% CI: 2.11, 4.07 and OR(white)=2.99, 95% CI: 2.74, 3.26). Diabetes was associated with a 30–40% increase in risk among both groups. Increasing parity was associated with decreasing risk of EC in blacks and whites (p-value=0.02 and <0.001, respectively). Current and former smoking was associated with decreased risk of EC among all women. Both black and white women who used oral contraceptives for 10+ years were also at reduced risk of EC (OR=0.49, 95% CI: 0.27, 0.88 and OR=0.69, 95% CI: 0.58, 0.83, respectively). Previous history of hypertension was not associated with EC risk in either group. CONCLUSIONS: The major known risk factors for EC exert similar effects on black and white women. Differences in the incidence rates between the two populations may be due to differences in the prevalence of risk factors